Having just returned from a few days in the sun for a dermatology conference, one cannot deny the benefits of sun exposure, especially when one lives somewhere where drizzle is the norm.   We all know that the reason we have blue skies is because the sun’s rays scatter in the Earth’s … [Read More...] about The benefits of blue

Mankind has always been obsessed with eternal youth. In modern times, where we have social media, an ever increasing number of interventions to preserve youthful looks and people living longer than ever, the question as to whether looking younger reflects better health is more pertinent than … [Read More...] about Can looking younger than one’s age reflect better health?

I think if I had my time again, I would love to be a historian or an archaeologist or something like that.  I really love all things ancient, they show us how and why we have ended up the way we are now and in a way, teach us that we are all transient beings, no matter how great or inconspicuous our … [Read More...] about A bathtub diagnosis

More and more research is looking at the role nutrition plays in disease.  And it is fascinating stuff.  At the time of writing, I am looking after my 80-year old father who was discharged from a 3-day stay in ITU only 5 days ago and I can clearly see how important it is that he receives good … [Read More...] about Can your diet improve your eczema?

Virtually every lady of a certain age that I have been seeing in clinic in recent months has been on HRT.  And it’s great that supply issues have now, hopefully, been sorted and that GP’s do not need to perform any tests to confirm that an individual is approaching menopause.  Moreover, HRT can now … [Read More...] about Menstrual hygiene products and the skin

The use of laundry sanitisers increased massively during the Covid pandemic in the thought that SARS-CoV-2 virus might be brought home on clothing.  I know we definitely used it to wash my surgical scrubs, the garments that replaced my suits and dresses for work for a 2 year period.  We still use … [Read More...] about Laundry sanitisers and the skin

It looks like energy, who has it, who has the most and who can create it, is going to be one of the main sources of political strength for the years to come.  The war in Ukraine has shown us how dependency on another country lends to vulnerability and so we all are scrambling to ensure energy … [Read More...] about The side effects of wind turbines

I understand this is a somewhat contentious issue, especially on social media.  We already know that countries differ in their advice on sunscreen use; the USA advises sunscreen use throughout the year whereas the UK, EU and Australia advise on sunscreen use if the UV index is 3 or more, or if you … [Read More...] about Do we really need to wear sunscreen indoors?

Having had the pleasure of spending more time with my young folk over the summer months, it was quite revealing to me how pervasive social media is in their lives.  I think almost everyone I know (apart from my father!) uses social media to some degree but young people tend to use multiple platforms … [Read More...] about Are you Comfortable In your Skin?

At the time of writing, we are still on our family summer holiday.  With teenagers with acne-prone skin, this has led to problems with skin sensitivity to the sun due to concurrent retinoid use, mild sunburn 🥵(they no longer let me apply sunscreen on them or listen to my prompts to reapply 🙄 – I am … [Read More...] about Swimming and acne

Now I’m not a cosmetic dermatologist.  I deal with inflammatory skin conditions of the skin, hair and nails and skin lesions and that is my day-to-day.  But inevitably, we have to have some awareness of products that are put on the skin because we invariably recommend certain products in conditions … [Read More...] about Gene editing in the cosmetics industry

At this current point in time, there are no new drugs in the management of vitiligo 😔.  JAK inhibitors are around the corner, but they are still a fair way off coming to the UK and being prescribed in mainstream dermatology practice.   It was therefore interesting to read in the May … [Read More...] about Can an anti-Parkinson’s drug prevent vitiligo from developing?

I don’t know about you but one thing I found really frustrating in the pandemic (amongst other things!) was the inability to unlock my phone whilst wearing a face mask.  My dad, on the other hand, being a person slightly averse to new technologies has persisted with a phone with fingerprint … [Read More...] about How to get rid of your fingerprints

I have recently received the help of various medical and surgical colleagues (yes, doctors can fall ill too!) and aside from my general health issues, I found it interesting to hear their views on how the pandemic and these post-pandemic days are impacting on their clinical practice.   I … [Read More...] about Does losing weight improve skin conditions?

Ever since the children were little, we’ve generally gone on holidays which have involved chucking everything in the boot of the car and just driving until we reached our destination.  Initially the car was stuffed with car seats, potties and travel cots and obviously over the years this has changed … [Read More...] about Waxing lyrical about history